Accelerating can feed



' Aug. 25, 1931. H. l.. GUENTHER ACCELERATINGCAN FEED piled June 15. 192s 2 sheets-sheet 1 Illy H1 IN i of? A TTORfNEYS.

' 25, 1931. H.. L. GUENTHER 1,820,562

. ACGELRATING CAN FEED Filed June 15..'1928 2 sheets-sheet 2 a@ E. J6 /7 gz fa ,A im

Patented Aug. 275, 1931 PATENToFFIcE HENRY L. GUENTHER, rE, Los ANGELES,A CALIFORNIA acontEenrum GAN FEED Application filed Juneg15, 1928. Serial No. 285,663.'

This invention relates to canning machinery, and particularly pertains to an accel Y, erating can feed for delivering cans to double seamers and like machines.

In the oaeration of double seamino' 'ma-y -f chines for closing cans filled with material, and iorseaming a cap onto the well known sanitary can body,it is the present tendency of design to operate the machines at relatively high rates of speed, andsince it is impracticable to create a high speedk flow of cans prior to delivery tothe machine, it is necessary to provide an accelerating mecha nism for spacing and accelerating the speed of the cans as they are delivered in timed relation to the double seaming mechanism, s0 that the contents ofthe cans will not be dis-V turbed or violently agitated suiliciently to cause the .cans to slop prior to the time a cap is applied to them.

The present invention is therefore. con'- cerned with an `accelerating y means intel,1- posed between a constant flow of cans at a relatively low speed, and al double seaming mechanism operating ata relatively high speed and which accelerating means willact v to gradually increase -the speed of a can from its initially low speed tothe speeduof the double seeming machine at the time vof vdelivery thereto.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a rotary can support upon which cans are delivered and yby whichy they are advanced, due to frictional contact teeth i and a plurality of can accelerating arms actincin conjunction, and in vtimed relation to the disc and the cans thereon, to separately engage the cans and vto accelerate their speed from that of the can flowto the speed of the positive conveying mechanism forming a part of a double. seaming machine.

The invention is illustrated by way of exampie in the drawings, in which l? ig. 1 an enlarged fragmentary viewv in plan showing the accelerating mechanism and the parts in conjunction with which it operates.

f Fig. 3 is-an fenlargedviewinl elevation showingrr the Yaccelerating mechanism as viewed-in the direction of the' arrow .a in Fig. l. Figr11 is a view in perspective showing the accelerating cam in an inverted positionv to disclose the formation of its cam groove.

Fig. 5 is afragmentary view in perspective showing one of the cam accelerating arms.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, and 11 indicate side rails of a can runway 13, along which a flow of cans '14 pass. Theiloor of the runway at its inlet end is formed b f onto which tlie cans are. delivered, and bywhich they are advanced. The speed of rotation of the disc 15 is such as to cause the cans delivered thereonto to be accelerated in their speed of travel and to be separated as they advance,-it being understood that prior to the delivery of the cans onto the discy 15 they arejcrowding forwardly in the runway and are disposed one against the other.

The outlet hangs a rotaryfeed disc 16 which is diSf' posed in the same horizontalr plane with the feed disc-'15, which permits the-cans to pass from one Lfeed disc to the other. The outlet portion ofthe can runway 13 is in tangential alignment with the initial path of travel .of the canas it rests upon, or moves forwardly on` the disc 16. The path of travel of the canwhile upon the vdisc 16 is deterthroat of the runway 13 overa rotary supporting discis mined by a housing17, forming a ysubstanf tial continuation of therail 10 and bridging a space between this rail and -a fixed rail 18- along which thecan may move to a posi tive feedurunway 19. The opposite side of the path of travel of the can while upon disc 16 is defined byvan eccentric guide rail 20 extending for a distance concentric with the disc-'16,andA then swinging outwardly and around to unite with rail 2 1 of the posi. tive feedrunway 19. The guide rail v2O is@ however, supplemented by a yieldable es capement member 22 which is of arcuate shape and is mounted upon a pin 23. The: can contacting face of this escapement member is described by a larger radius than that of the rail 20, and is normally and yieldably held in the path of travel of the cans by a spring 24 so that a restricted throat will be formed between the escapement member 22 and the housing 17, to retard the advance of the cans 14, until each particular can has been overtaken by a point or tooth 25 of a timing star wheel 26. As seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings, these teeth are spaced a considerable distance apart and are formed with a concave can engaging face and a long sweeping convex back face, so that in the event the delivered can does not register precisely with the concave engaging face when it comes into contact with the star wheel it may roll along the convex back face of the tooth as it is being yieldably rotated by escapement member 22, and

while the feeddisc 16 is advancing beneath it until it is positively engaged by the tooth, after which it will be positively advanced through the machine and in timed relation to the cans which have preceded it.

Thus it will be seen that the cans move in sequence through the machine and in positive timed relation to each other.

After a can has been positively engaged by the advancing face of a tooth 25 on the star wheel 26, it will be positively moved along the eccentric runway 27, formed by the curved portion of the rail 18 and the curved rail 20, and will swing the escapement member 22 outwardly in the direction of the arrow b to accommodate the can and to permit it to advance without further resistance. I

It is evident that while the can is traveling along the eccentric path of travel defined by the eccentric runway 27, and while it is being gradually moved outwardly over the surface of the feed disc 16 upon which it rests, it will be accelerated in its speed of advance. This acceleration, however, is not sufficient to deliver the can to the positive feed chain 28 at the lineal speed at which this chain moving, and it is, therefore, necessary to have positive can accelerating means which will pick up the advancing can and positively and gradually increase its speed of travel to that of the double seaming machine and its feed means.

The positive accelerating means comprises a plurality of bell cranks 29, which are seen in Fig. 5 of the drawings, as being mounted by vertical pins 30 upon the upper face of an accelerating gear 31. The bell cranks are disposed to swing in a horizontal plane and each comprise a radial feed arm 32 adapted to be projected into the path of travel of the can, and an operating arm 33 carrying a cam roller 34.

In the present instance six bell cranks 29 are shown as carried by the accelerating gear 31. This gear is mounted concentrically upon a spindle 35, and is free to rotate thereon. A grooved cam 36 is keyed onto said spindle above the gear 31 and is formed with a groove 37 in its lower face, and into which groove the cam rollers 34 project. It will therefore, be evident that as the bell cranks 29 move along their concentric path of travel with relation to the spindle 35, the cam rollers 34 will engage the groove 37 of the cam 36 and will individually swing upon their pivots 30 to describe varying portions of arcuate travel around their pivots at different points along their bodily concentric path of travel with relation to the spindle 35.

By reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings, it will also be seen that the spindle 35 is disposed eccentrically with relation to the vertical axis of the feed disc 16 and is so positioned as to insure that the accelerating arms 32 will engage and advance the cans along the quadrant of the disc 16, terminating with the point of delivery of the cans onto the positive feed chain 28.

The spindle 35 is carried in an overhanging bearing arm 38, secured to the bed plate 39 of the machine. This arm structure also carries a bearing arm 40 supporting a vertical shaft 41 upon which a gear 42 is freely mounted. face and is in mesh with the accelerating gear 31, as well as a driving gear1 43 disposed therebeneath. The driving gear is secured upon the upper end of a shaft 44 which also carries the star wheel 26 and the feed disc 16. The shaft 44 is rotatably mounted in a suitable bearing 45,. formed as a part of a subframe bracket 46.

It will therefore, be seen that rotation of the shaft 44 by means hereafter to be described, will produce rotation of the gear 42 and consequent rotation of the accelerating gear 31 at a predetermined different speed as brought about by the gear ratios between the three gears in the train.

The entire gear and feed mechanism driven through a beveled gear 47 secured to the under side of the feed disc 16, and in mesh with a pinion 43. This pinion is carried on a horizontally disposed shaft 49 mounted in suitable bearings 50 of the subframe bracket 46.

As shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the shaft 49 carries a sprocket 50 and a sprocket chain 28. The upper run of the chain 28 is provided to positively carry the cans into the double seaming machine (not shown in the drawing) at the speed of operation of the machine, and in order to do this the chain is fitted with a plurality of flights 51, which move in synchronism with the radial arms 32 and engage the cans delivered in advance thereof to positively move them forwardly along the runway 19. The sprocket chain 28 is in mesh with a suitable sprocket car- This gear has a relatively wide ried as part of the double seaming machine and willv `be driven therefrom, thus insuring that all of the feed mechanism, including the positive and accelerating mechanisms will operate iny true synchronism with 'they double .seaming machine. v

yIn operation of the present invention it will be understood that 'this machine may form a part of adouble seaming machine used for making cans, or adouble seaming machine used to iinally close filled cans. kIn the first instance the machine will act to time and feed the cans into the machine, but when lled cans are used it provides 4an additional advantage in that the `cans are carefully handled, timed and fed forwardly at an accelerated rate of speed from slow moving continuously crowding flowy of cans along the runway 13, to a separated and positively spaced flow through ythe timing mechanism` at accelerated speed, and to av relatively high speed positive mechanism,

The inilowing cans travel between the rails p 10 and 11 and are ladvanced by the initial feed disc 15. As they are crowded forwardly, the speed of rotation on the feed disc 15.

willgtend to separate them and will move them in succession across the edge of the feed disc and onto the feed disc 16. This disc will then carry the can forwardly, by frictional driving, and into the throat formed between the arcuate portion of Vhousing 17 and the escapement member 22. As the can tends'to advance, the escapement memg ber 22 will retard it until itis positively engaged by the kteeth 25 of the star wheel 26.y

In the event that the can accurately regisonthe star wheel when it comes into contact with the star wheel, the can will immediately be forced,forwardly,but if the can should contact with the star wheel at any other f point then just in advance of a tooth, the

escap'ement member Will'r'otate the can and cause it-to roll along the back face of a tooth untilthe arcuate seat of the next tooth registers with it, after which the can willv travel as it moves along .between rails 18 and 20. Y Y v f Following each tooth 25 of the star wheel 26, in its path of travel, is one of the accelerating arms 32. These armsare so designed and provided `with the spreading mechanism, previously described, to act in overtaking the tooth adjacentfit and `in thus engaging the can andr 'thereafter accelerating its speed beyond' that ofthe star Wheel' `26, so'that the can will move across the advancing disc and outwardly to a point where it is superposed over thel positive feed chaini28. The operation of the can accelerating arms is brought about by the relative rotation of the gear 31 with relation' to the gear 43.

The gear 43 is positively secured tothe star wheel 26 and moves in unison ,with the star wheel 26 anda disc 16. This gear acts through the pinion 42 to drive the accelerating gear 31. The accelerating' gear is mounted on spindle which -is in vertical alignment with the shaft 44, carrying the feed disc 16. The bell cranks 29, the cam 36 and the gears are so'designed as to insure vthat the arms 82l of the bell cranks 29 will not maintain constant angularity with relation vto the aXis of spindle 35but will swing forwardlyin the direction of'rotation of the accelerating gearl. kThe cam will, therefore, make it possible yfor the outer ends ,of they accelerating arms 32 to travel at a gradually accelerated ratev of speed with relation to the speed'of the-'accelerating gearby which they are being bodily carried. "This action will, however,be produced only during a portion ofthe travel of the bell cranks and will insure thatl the cans which are positively and properly engaged by the teethv 25 of the star wheel26, will thereafter be engaged by the outer end of an accelerating arm 32, and will bemoved forwardly at the desired gradual speed of acceleration until the speed of the can equals the speed of' travel of 'a' positive can conve ing means,`such as the chain 28. hen the cans are shifted off of the feed disc 16 and onto the floor of the runway 19, they will be immediately and positively engaged by flightsy 51, carried by the feed chain 28, and will be advanced into the seaming machine at the `rate of speed at I vwhich the seaming machine is operated. ters wlthfthe arcuate front face Vof a tooth for gradually accelerating the speed of filled or empty cans, and for insuring that filled cans may be transmitted from a slowly moving flow of cans to a high speed seaming mechanism by gradual motion which will preclude possibility of slopping the contents from the cans,'o'r in otherwise objectionably disturbing the contents of the cans.

While I have shown the preferred form ioo of my invention, as now known to me, it y,

' will be understood that various changes may be made in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the yinvention as claimed.

Having thus described my'invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters kPatent is 1.v A can feed mechanism adapted to feed 'cans to a relatively high speed' positive feed means, comprising a horizontally disposed rotary disc onto which cans are deposited ata relatively slow speed and by which the cans are advanced, means for yieldably retarding the advance of the'cans along the disc, a positive'timing star wheel yadapted Y,

to cooperate\ vith` said retarding means to positively separate and time the cans with relation to the feed means, and a plurality of radial arms disposed in a horizontal plane and moving bodily around a common axis and located above and engaging cans carried by the rotary disc, said arms being moved in said horizontal plane at variable speeds during their circular path of travel whereby a can will be positively engaged thereby and will be moved to the high speed feed means at an accelerated speed.

2. In combination with a runway along which cans move at a relatively slow rate of speed and a positive can feed means operating at relatively high rate of speed, can timing and accelerating means interposed therebetween, said means comprising a horizontally disposed rotary disc onto which the cans are deposited, a star wheel for separating and positively timing the cans with relation to each other, a plurality of radial accelerating arms movable in a horizontal plane and located above the rotary disc and adapted to engage the cans which are carried by the said disc and have been positively timed and are being advanced by the star wheel, and means acting upon said radial arms during the period of their engagement with the cans to cause the arms to gradually accelerate the speed of travel of the can engaged thereby and to increase its speed to that of the positive can feed means.

3. In combination with a runway along which cans move and a positive can feed mechanism, a can timing and accelerating device comprising a continuously rotating` horizontally disposed disc, onto which the cans are deposited from the runway, guide means for defining an eccentric path of travel for the cans around and over the disc, a star wheel above the disc and moving in unison therewith to space and positively time the cans with relation to each other, a plurality of radial arms bodily moving along a circular path of travel above and eccentric to the axis of the disc whereby said arms may move into engagement with cans timed and being positively advanced by the star wheel and means whereby said arms while bodily moving along the circular' path of travel may be independently and gradually swung to engage the timed cans and to accelerate their speed of travel from that r of the disc upon which they rest to the positive feed means. y

4. A device of the class described, comprising a rotary disc disposed in a horizontal plane and upon which cans may be deposited, a plurality of accelerating arms mounted to move bodily above the rotary disc in a circuitous path of travel around an axis other than the axis of the disc, guide rails extending over the disc to guide cans along the path of travel initially concentric with the axis of the disc and finally concentric with the axis around which the accelerating arms move, means for individually operating said accelerating arms during the portion of their path of travel along the path of travel of the cans whereby they are gradually swung in advance of their mounting and will act to gradually accelerate the speed of the cans with which they are in register, and means moving in unison with the rotary disc for spacing and timing the cans with relation to each other.

5. A device of the class described, comprising a rotary disc disposed in a horizontal plane and upon which cans may be deposited, a plurality of accelerating arms mounted to move bodily above the rotary disc in a circular path of travel around an axis other than the axis of the disc, guide rails extending over the disc to guide cans along the path of travel initially eccentric with the axis of the disc and finally eccentric with the axis around which the accelerating arms move, means for individually operating said accelerating arms during the portion of their path of travel along the path of travelof the cans whereby they are gradually swung in advance of their mounting and will act to gradually accelerate the speed of the cans with which they are in register, means moving in unison with the rotary disc for spacing and timing the cans with relation to each other, said means comprising a star wheel formed with shallow teeth thereon, forward faces of said teeth being arcuate to conform to the contour of a can and the rear faces of said teeth being on a long gradual curve whereby the cans may gently roll along said face and register with the arcuate portion of the next succeeding tooth.

6. A device of the class described, comprising a rotary disc disposed in a horizontal plane and uponwhich cans may be deposited, a plurality of accelerating arms mounted to move bodily in a circular path of travel around an axis other than the axis of the disc, guide rails extending over the disc to guide cans along the path of travel initially eccentric with the axis of the disc and finally eccentric with the axis around which the accelerating arms move, means for individually operating said accelerating arms during` the portion of their path of travel along the path of travel of the cans whereby they are gradually swung in advance of their mounting and will act` to gradually accelerate the speed of the cans with which they are in register, means moving in unison with the rotary disc for spacing and timing the cans with relation to each other, said means comprising a star wheel formed with shallow teeth thereon, forward faces ofV said teeth being arcuate to conform to the contour of a can and the rear faces of said teeth being on a long gradual curve whereby the cans may gently roll along said face and register with the arcu-y ate portion of 'the next succeeding tooth, and yieldable means cooperating with `the star Wheel to retard a can which is not in register with the arcuate face of a tooth and to permit the tooth to gradually move along the can until the arcuate face of the neXt succeeding tooth registers therewith.

HENRY L. GUENTHER. 

